


Woven in the Universe

by orphan_account



Category: Doctor Who, Merlin (TV)
Genre: Doctor Who Crossover, Fix-It, Fluff and Crack, Immortal Merlin, M/M, Merlin Crossover, Post Season/Series 05, Reincarnation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-24
Updated: 2013-02-24
Packaged: 2017-12-03 10:06:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/697100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'He should have known, really. He’d met the man with the changing face a few times over the years he’d been waiting (and a few of his companions as well); he should have known he’d want to be there when Arthur resurfaced.'</p>
<p>In which Merlin is almost done waiting, the Doctor doesn't know what's going on, Donna meets people worse than her mother, Jack meets someone who understands and the Universe takes matters into its own hands.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Woven in the Universe

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a strange little crossover that just appeared in my head one day. So cracky and fluffy and cheesy and totally not my usual thing, but it had to be done. 
> 
> Thanks to Blake for encouraging me and listening to me lament over it for hours on end because I never quite felt satisfied.

“Remind me why we’re here again?”

“Because, Donna, it is a very important landmark and somewhere that every native of this blessed plot should visit.”

“But I _did_ visit it; my mother made me trek all the way up here in my pink spotty wellies when I was ten. This time I don’t even have the right shoes!”

“All that stuff you made me pack into the TARDIS and you didn’t even think to bring _wellies?_ ”

“I’m with Donna on this one; all of time and space and you bring us to a damp little corner of the Universe to tramp up a hill?”

Merlin listened to the voices floating up towards him with a small smile on his face. He should have known, really. He’d met the man with the changing face a few times over the years he’d been waiting (and a few of his companions as well); he should have known he’d want to be there when Arthur resurfaced.

“Ah, but last time King Arthur wasn’t returning from Avalon.”

“King Arthur? You’re having me on, right? I mean sure, Agatha Christie, but King Arthur’s just a _story_.”

“All stories have to start somewhere.”

“Wait wait wait, hold it Spaceman,” (Merlin’s smile widened at that – he liked this woman before he had even seen her face) “You’re telling me that in a minute an ancient King from who knows how long ago is going to rise up out of that Lake?”

“Suddenly I am much more interested in this little excursion-“

“Stop it!”

“Don’t tell me there’s Merlin too. Oh don’t tell me there’s _Merlin_.”

“YES! AND HE’S GETTING IMPATIENT.” Merlin shouted, grinning as the three voices mounted the top of the hill and became people. He recognised The Doctor immediately, for no other reason than the look of sheer excitement on his face. The woman was red-haired and attractive, though a little pink from walking up the hill. The third member of their party was tall, handsome, and had a glint in his eye that reminded Merlin irrepressibly of Gwaine.

“Oh this day is getting better and better.” The man said, stepping forward and holding out his hand, “Captain Jack Harkness.”

“Stop it!” The Doctor warned, though Merlin was unsure what against as he took Captain Harkness’s hand and replied,

“Merlin. Pleased to meet you.”

“ _That’s_ Merlin?” The woman exclaimed, looking at him in utter confusion as the Doctor tutted,

“Don’t be rude, Donna. Though now you mention it you do look rather different from the last time we met.”

“Speak for yourself.” Merlin said, “Though I do like the pinstripes. This, funnily enough, is what I really look like, or did when Arthur and I first met. I realised pretty early on that older was easier as far as going unnoticed is concerned, so I’ve been adopting my wrinkled and bearded disguise. It’s funny how a homeless old man attracts much less attention than a homeless young one.”

“I can think of a lot of things that would attract less attention than you.” Captain Harkness smirked, and Merlin felt himself blush.

“I… um…” he managed to stammer before Donna interrupted,

“Oh not him as well? You might be able to cut glass on those cheekbones but look at him – another strip of nothing to add to the collection. No offense or anything. Oh God, you aren’t going to turn me into a frog are you?”

Merlin laughed; the feeling was a little strange in his ribcage, like shaking off dust.

“Don’t worry. Spending all my time with Arthur for ten years kept my vanity in check. Though don’t ever tell him I said that, his ego doesn’t need stroking any more, no matter how much he loves it.”

“I wonder why he likes you so much then.” The Doctor observed, raising his eyebrows a little.

“Well, it’d be no fun if everyone acted like they adored him all the time. I’m sure he’s bored to death in Avalon. Figuratively speaking, obviously.” Merlin explained, though the other three still looked more than a little bemused.

“But wait, there can’t be and _actual_ Merlin and an _actual_ Avalon. That’s all magic and stuff, but magic doesn’t exist, does it?” Donna asked, frowning at the Doctor for an explanation.

“Well,” the Doctor supplied, shoving his hands into the pockets of his trench coat as he began to pace, “there isn’t, really. But there is. Well, the thing that humans call magic does exist but isn’t really… magic. It’s all about energy, and the manipulation of that energy. We use that energy to fuel the TARDIS, actually; the energy from the rift. Nowadays, of course, organisations like Torchwood have ways of controlling and fencing in that energy, but in young Merlin’s day it was free to run about wherever it chose. And if a child was born at a certain time in a certain place, like he was, then they sort of absorb, well, not _absorb,_ but let’s say absorb, that energy and have the power to manipulate it. Of course, the degree to which they can do this is entirely dependent on what time and what place. Merlin here was lucky enough to be born directly over the rift at the time when it was emitting an unusual amount of energy.” He finished, staring at them all expectantly.

“Um… thanks?” Merlin said, “Though I think I prefer the whole magic and destiny approach – sort of terrifying to think I just got lucky.”

“Oh no no no!” The Doctor exclaimed, “ _You_ aren’t just lucky. Well, you are. But you’re also not. _Merlin’s_ not. _You_ are. See?”

“Oh yes, very illuminating.” Merlin nodded, “Is he always this helpful?”

“Oh yes.” Jack and Donna replied, rolling their eyes.

“Oi! It’s not my fault if your little human brains find all this stuff impossible to understand.” The Doctor protested, “It’s all big and Universey and complicated. Because Merlin the skinny kid over there is lucky but Merlin the _concept_ isn’t because it’s woven into the Universe itself. There was always going to be a Merlin, you’re just lucky it was you.”

The Doctor looked at him expectantly, and Merlin raised his eyebrows.

“Right.” He said, “Well, that explains that, then.”

“Oh come on! What do you need, a picture book? Actually, I think I do have a picture book about this sort of thing in the TARDIS somewhere. Jack, you’re a man who likes a bit of a jog…”

“It’s in the Library, right?” Jack sighed, though exasperation in his face was fond.

“It’s by the stuff about Time Lord Geometry, or maybe Harry Potter!” The Doctor shouted at Jack’s retreating figure.

Merlin tutted,

“That Rowling woman knows nothing about how magic works; as if Latin words ever had that sort of power. And I really didn’t appreciate all the characters swearing on my underwear.”

“Didn’t you cry at book seven though?” The Doctor cried, looking mortified. “And I’ll have you know that I saved the world with _Expelliarmus_ once. Well, Shakespeare did. Well, it was my friend Martha really.”

“Of course it was Martha you twit. Bet you didn’t have to do anything with her around, just sat back on your skinny arse and watched her do the world-saving.” Donna teased, and the Doctor raised his eyebrows,

“Unlike you, nattering at me across the galaxy and forgetting your wellies.”

“Well it’s no wonder you’re just a space-twig when you don’t _eat anything_. If didn’t natter at you you’d fade away to nothing.”

“I eat all the time! I had a banana this morning. Good source of potassium, the banana.”

“That was at ten this morning. _It’s three in the afternoon_.” Donna scolded him, and Merlin’s smile grew wider.

“Oh you are definitely my favourite.” He said, rummaging in his coat pockets, finally finding what he was looking for and holding it up triumphantly, “There we are, Doctor, help yourself. I’ve got about six stashed about my person.”

The Doctor looked down at the small, round, orange bundle in his hands and looked Merlin in confusion.

“You carry six Terry’s Chocolate Oranges around with you?”

“Well, give or take.” Merlin shrugged, pulling another from his pocket and tapping it absent-mindedly against the pillar of rock that crowned the top of the hill. When he looked back to see both Donna and the Doctor staring at him in disbelief, he held the orange up in explanation,

“Do either of you have any idea how exciting this was for me? I mean, there were things I enjoyed eating in my own time, of course, things I still enjoy eating, but _this._ It’s like… it’s like _magic_.” He looked down at the chocolate fondly, starting to unpick the blue label from the top, when he felt a jolt in his stomach, a pull of magic that he hadn’t felt in centuries. He looked up towards the lake, but saw no ripples marring the smooth surface, no familiar armour clad figure rising from the depths.

He turned to the Doctor and Donna, only to feel his mouth drop open in shock as golden fronds of magic starting winding around them.

“Oh My God. Oh My God. Merlin is this you? What’s going on?” Donna was screeching, while the Doctor simply stared at the tentacles of energy that were encasing him and beamed,

“Oh this is _brilliant._ I’ve always wanted to see this. You really are _magical_ aren’t you?”

“Don’t fight it, Donna. I don’t know what it’s doing but you have to trust it.” Merlin insisted, looking straight into Donna’s frightened eyes just as she and the Doctor were enveloped completely and melted into the ether.

* * *

 

Donna barely had time to get her bearings and take a relieved breath before there was a sword to her throat.

“Declare yourself, sorceress!” A low voice growled, and Donna found herself staring into a pair of piercing blue eyes, narrowed in suspicion.

“Arthur put that bloody thing down before you embarrass yourself.” Came a stern reprimand from somewhere behind the man with the sword. “If she was bent on doing us harm d’you really think she would have arrived in a swirl of golden light? The goodness in that magic is plain to anyone with eyes.”

Donna decided she liked the other voice infinitely more than the idiot with the sword, and would have said as much were it not for the way the blade nicked into her skin every time she swallowed.

“And what makes you so sure of that, Oh All Knowing One?” Arthur hissed, and from the sound of the reply, Donna was fairly sure the other person was rolling their eyes,

“Well magic is sort of my area, don’t you think?”

“Yes but how d’you know it’s not a disguise, maybe she wants us to think that.”

Donna was about to tell him exactly what she wanted, which was for him to take that bloody sharp sword off her throat and stop being an idiot, but an even angrier voice got there first.

“Good grief, Arthur. I wish you were this cautious about every decision. Think of the trouble could have avoided if you’d just asked, ‘how do I know she’s not my sister’ when you shagged Morgana!”

Suddenly, the blade was no longer against Donna’s throat, but pointed at the owner of the second voice, a tall, ethereal looking girl with dark red hair and eyes that stood out large and black in her face.

“You just _love_ flinging that in my face every time I do anything wrong, don’t you?” Arthur accused, taking a predatory step forward towards the girl. “How the hell was I supposed to know that?”

“ _Because I told you._ It isn’t my fault if you’re such a stubborn ass that you never listen! And put that thing down, stop fooling yourself you could get anywhere near me with it.”  

“Oh shut up you-“

“Oi!” Donna finally shouted, and the pair jumped, two pairs of eyes suddenly turning on her.

“Would you mind not _bickering_ for long enough to tell me where I am and who I’m talking to?”

Both looked taken aback, but the man spoke first, rather incredulously,

“I am King Arthur of Camelot. You stand in my kingdom.”

“ _You’re_ the Arthur that Merlin’s waiting for?” Donna asked, utterly baffled, and the woman didn’t help by replying,

“Well, I certainly do a lot of waiting where he’s concerned; waiting for him to make a decision about the impending war with Mercia, waiting for him to come back from hunting before the council dies of old age, waiting for him to pull his head out of his arse and realise that marrying Guinevere is the worst idea since _the Morgana thing_. Yet I don’t think this is what you’re referring to?”

“Wait, _you’re_ Merlin? The sorcerer?” Donna exclaimed, trying desperately to wrap her head around the situation as she looked from one hostile face to the other and attempted to reconcile either with the stories her Granddad had told her.

“Sorcerer, advisor, martyr, however you’d like to see it.” The woman, _Merlin,_ told her, and Arthur rolled his eyes.

“Never miss a chance to play the victim, do you?” He said pointedly, and Merlin bristled visibly.

“Why shouldn’t I? You never miss a chance to remind everyone of how hard I am on you, how you wish I’d never helped you become King, since it’s meant being saddled with me for your whole reign. Grief! How awfully _hard_ your life must be, Arthur, doing whatever you want and leaving me to tidy up after you.”

“See, this is why I like Guinevere. She’s _quiet._ ”

“Oh of course she is! That’s because her mouth is usually otherwise occupied.”

“That’s it. You will not speak about her like that.” Arthur cried, bringing his sword back up to point threateningly at Merlin.

“Or what? What makes you think a shiny stick makes you so bloody manly anyway? Can’t beat me with your bare hands?” Merlin taunted, and a tendon in Arthur’s jaw began to twitch. After a few more seconds, Donna realised that it was incredibly unlikely they would actually kill each other, and simply sat on the nearest boulder, muttering as she massaged her temple,

“They’re both worse than my mother. How are they both worse than my mother?”

* * *

 

It took the Doctor only a few seconds to register what was happening, and when he saw the two figures before him his face split into a wide grin.

“Oh _brilliant._ ” He breathed, barely noting that the figures he was staring at were significantly less pleased to see him, “Look at the pair of you, oh you’re just _perfect_.”

“Excuse me,” said the older figure, the lines that covered his face deepening in confusion as his white beard stood out against his deep blue robes, his face wary, and he put out a hand instinctively as though to shield himself, “I must ask what your purpose here is, sir. What magic do you possess as to appear from thin air?”

“Oh I’ve no clue!” The Doctor admitted happily, “I’m not any authority on magic, but I hope I’m talking to the esteemed Merlin?”

“You are indeed!” Merlin replied, looking a little friendlier, though still wary. “And to whom, might I ask, am I speaking?”

“Oh, I’m the Doctor! And this,” he said, his voice softening as his gaze fell on the small figure clutching Merlin’s long robe, “ this fine young man must be Arthur.”

The boy gave a terrified squeak, but nodded.

“And you’re having a go at pulling that sword out of the stone?”

Arthur glanced from the Doctor to the gleaming blade that protruded from an ancient, mossy rock in the centre of the clearing. He shook his head vehemently and Merlin tutted,

“He’s just a little nervous, that’s all.”

“I am _not_.” Arthur replied, letting go of Merlin’s tunic to cross his arms and look angrily up at him.

“Well then,” Merlin prompted, “why don’t you give it a go?”

“Because…” Arthur started, before his voice dropped to barely above a whisper, “because I don’t think I can.”

* * *

“I looked everywhere, there’s not picture book by Time Lord Geometry or Harry Potter. You really should organise that Library you- where are they?” Jack asked, taken aback when he rounded the top of the hill to find Merlin alone, sitting quite calmly on the crest of the hill, trying in vain to make his chocolate orange last.

“The magic took them. Or the Universe or whatever it is that the Doctor’s been talking about. It’s probably in the picture book.” Merlin told him, though this was far from reassuring.

“What? You mean they’re just _gone_? How do we know where they went? How’ll we get them back?” He exclaimed, but Merlin just shrugged in a way that was evidently meant to be comforting, though Jack was not convinced.

“I don’t know, but I haven’t felt magic like this since… well since Arthur died. It feels like a good thing, and I know that probably isn’t very comforting to you but just trust me, okay?”

There was no trace of a lie on the young man’s face; the blue eyes looking up at him with what must once have been a very innocent expression, but that now simply looked tired. It was easy to forget, with his clean, boyish face and ready smiles, how old Merlin really was. Few but Jack could really understand the look that Merlin wore – it was that of one who had given up on agency, who knew better than anyone that the Universe had its own plans, and that he was powerless in the face of them. It was a look he recognised all too well, and it was with a sigh that he sat down heavily next to Merlin and asked,

 “So what do we do now?”

“We wait.” Merlin said, then, after a pause, “Terry’s Chocolate Orange?”  

“I… sure.” Jack shrugged as Merlin took yet another chocolate sphere from his pocket and handed it over. “You know, you could do with a new coat.” He observed, and Merlin shrugged.

“I gave up on trying to follow fashion in about the eighteenth century. Those wigs are the most ridiculous things I’ve ever seen. Well… before the eighties. I see you’ve gone for the forties-airman-throwback look.”

“Hey! This coat has got me more action than… well, I’m sure you get the picture.” Jack said with a wink, and Merlin raised an eyebrow.

“What? Can’t rely on looks or personality?” Merlin quipped, and Jack couldn’t even pretend to be affronted when he saw the mischievous smirk on Merlin’s lips. He shoved Merlin playfully nonetheless.

“You should know I’m incredibly vain and heavily armed.” Jack informed him, but Merlin was unfazed.

“Magic.” He replied simply, waggling his fingers.

“Damn. Are you always this irritating?” Jack joked, and Merlin flashed him his brightest smile. It was a little bit blinding.

“I’ve been told that.”

“God… Immortal and irritating. That’s a pretty dreadful combination you’ve got going there. It’s a good thing you’re pretty.” Merlin blushed a little at that, so Jack continued, “You said before that you’ve been going around as an old man, right? It might be a bit late by now, but that is _not_ the way to do immortality, my friend.”

Merlin scoffed,

“And are you an authority on immortality?”

“Why don’t you Avada Kedavra me and find out?” Jack grinned, and Merlin looked torn between rolling his eyes and letting his jaw drop open. 

“I’m not even going to attempt to explain to you all the reasons why that wouldn’t work.” Was what he said first, though it was quickly followed by, “But really? You’re immortal?”

“Far as I can tell.” Jack shrugged, “Seems I just can’t stay dead.” He fought hard to keep the bitterness from his voice, trying desperately to push away the dark thoughts that crept into the edges of his mind. Thoughts of dark hours after Ianto, after Steven, and Alice’s hatred; hours spent gasping for air against his will, his body refusing to give up, give in, though his desperation to stop the incessant pounding of his heart had never been so strong.

There was something about Merlin’s stare, though, that seemed to see right through the light-hearted attempt to brush the issue off and see exactly what Jack was trying desperately hard not to think. Merlin confirmed this as he said simply,

“Do you know how many times I’ve tried to drown myself in that Lake? I think it was ninety six at the last count, not including the first three months after he died. I don’t really like to think about that.”

Jack couldn’t help but let his jaw drop open slightly. He knew perfectly well what Merlin must have been through, but there was something about his laughing eyes and ready smile that fooled Jack into thinking that the boy was a stranger to pain. In that moment, though, he looked so small and so frail that Jack couldn’t hold back from pulling him into a hug.

“I’m fairly sure there aren’t many people who could tell you they understand but… you don’t even know what to do with yourself. You have to keep busy, keep your mind off it but all you want to do is sit and cry until you physically can’t any more. You want to commit every detail of his face to memory; every little quirk in his smile, the way he’d roll his eyes or raise a brow, but at the same time it physically hurts to think of him. It hurts because you held him in your arms while he died and you wanted nothing more than to follow him. It hurts because you know that he knew, really he did, but you never had the time to tell him exactly how much you love him.” He felt Merlin nod against his chest for a fraction of a second before he pulled away, looking sheepish.

“It wasn’t… it wasn’t like that.” He stammered, though he wouldn’t meet Jack’s eye. “He was… Gwen and him they were happy.”

“Ianto had a girlfriend once, too.” Jack pointed out, though this was apparently not at all the right thing to say, as Merlin turned his back on him and snapped,

“Just drop it, Jack. Please.”

Jack didn’t have time to protest or apologise (he hadn’t decided which yet) before the air before him began to crackle with golden light and figures began to form from is tendrils.

The Doctor and Donna were back, and they’d brought company.

* * *

There was uproar. A young man in familiar looking chainmail was shouting in confusion while a dark haired girl tried in vain to calm him. An old man with a beard to rival Merlin’s own in the years he’d spent as Dragoon was looking about in wonder as a small boy (Merlin thought he must have been about ten) clutched at his flowing robes.

“I’m fairly sure there were only two of them when they left.” Merlin observed, looking curiously at the four other figures. He’d never seen any of them before, and yet something about them felt familiar. Jack simply shrugged at him, looking as taken aback as Merlin felt.

“Oh God, no I thought I was getting away from these idiots.” Donna groaned, and the tall young man stopped gaping at his new surroundings to look affronted and bark,

“That is no way to speak of your King; I could have you beheaded for such treason.”

The girl standing beside him sniggered, and he turned to glare at her, but before either of them could open their mouths a small voice interrupted,

“You shouldn’t behead people. It isn’t nice.” The little boy looked up defiantly at them, before frowning and saying, “Merlin, where are we?”

“The Lake of Avalon,” Merlin told him, as the old man and the girl said,

“Haven’t the foggiest.”

There was a long moment of shocked silence as Merlin looked from the girl to the old man and back again, shock painted on each of their faces.

“Um… Doctor? Any ideas?” Merlin ventured, though the grin plastered on his face gave Merlin an inkling that he just might.

“Well there are a few dozen knocking about but it’s looking most likely that it’s all to do with what I was telling you before, about the story being inherent in the Universe. Certain things – Arthur pulling the sword from the stone, his marriage to Guinevere, the formation of the Round Table are fixed points in time not only in this world, but in others as well. But as far as I can tell, these two sets of Arthur and Merlin aren’t going to get there; they won’t be able to reach those points. It’s very rare, but there are legends that say that sometimes the Universe takes matters into its own hands, because if it didn’t then reality will start to tear. Now, no-one wants the Universe to tear, trust me, so we’ve got to figure out why it is that these two pairs aren’t working, and fix it.”

“But why here? Why now?” Merlin asked, “I mean, Arthur did all of that already – surely we’ve done everything the Universe wants?”

The Doctor might have replied, but if he did, Merlin didn’t hear him. The sun that had been beating against the clouds had emerged, light and warmth flooding him as the rays fell on the ancient tower, creating a long dark shadow that stretched out towards the Lake, where ripples had started to appear. Merlin knew then, as his magic sang beneath his skin, warmer than the sunlight and pulling him towards the Lake edge with more force than he had ever felt. It felt like all the air had been sucked from his lungs as a golden head broke though the surface of the water. The water was warm too as it lapped against his feet, his shins, his waist. When he finally found himself standing face to face with Arthur once more, Merlin found he had forgotten how to be.

This wasn’t at all how Merlin had pictured it, and he’d pictured it so many times. Instead of throwing his arms around Arthur as he always did in his dreams, feeling the solid, strong form that he almost knew better than his own, he could do nothing more than stare. Arthur was smiling at him, elated and a little nervous; it was an expression Merlin had never seen before, but it was all the more beautiful for that. He felt his breath hitch, but he didn’t realise he was crying until Arthur reached out a hand to brush the tears from his cheek. The gesture was soft, tender, but Arthur’s palms were still rough against his skin. Merlin reached up to take the hand in his own, his finger trailing along the familiar creases and callouses, letting out the breath he hadn’t realised he was holding as the reality of the man standing before him knocked it out of his lungs.

“You know,” Arthur smiled, his voice sending a shiver down Merlin’s spine, “I’d really quite like to call you a girl, but I have a feeling that would ruin the moment.”

Looking up to meet Arthur’s eyes for the first time what felt like centuries (and it was) Merlin felt the smile split his face at the same time as tears spilled afresh over his cheeks and Arthur pulled him into an embrace. He gripped the shining armour with the same desperation as he had over fifteen hundred years ago, sitting at the edge of that same lake. This time, however, Arthur had the strength to grip him back, burying his face in the crook of Merlin’s neck.

It was all too soon that Arthur pulled away, though he still held Merlin’s shoulders, scrutinising his face.

“Merlin, you’ve not said a thing. I’m starting to worry.”

“I…” Merlin croaked, “it’s been fifteen hundred years, Arthur. There’s so much but I can’t… I don’t even know where to start.”

For a second, Merlin thought Arthur would hug him again, before a familiar look passed over his face – determined, though a little terrified, his battle face.

“Forget it, Merlin. All of it. Please. This is a new start, isn’t it?” Merlin’s heart hammered in his chest with more vigour than it had in over a millennium, and suddenly Arthur’s blue stare was too intense, as though he could see straight into the dreams that Merlin tried so hard to forget he’d ever had. He looked down at the ripples of water around their waists, cursing himself for letting this happen, for being unable to hide the feelings he hadn’t known were showing in those moments of joy. He almost flinched when he felt gentle fingers tuck under his chin, lifting it so that Merlin was once more face to face with Arthur.

“Look at me, Merlin, and if you’d let me finish,” Arthur breathed, a fond smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, “I was going to say that I want to start things right this time.”

Arthur’s lips touched his in a chaste, tentative kiss.

Merlin could feel the blood beating through his whole body, frozen where he stood for a few seconds before Arthur began to reluctantly pull away. Merlin sighed as he rested his forehead against Arthur’s – so similar and yet so beautifully removed from that parting gesture all those years ago.

“Why, Arthur? Why did you have to do that?” he asked, feeling Arthur stiffen at his words.

“I… I thought-“ Arthur stammered before Merlin shushed him,

“Because apparently we’re going to have to save Albion and possibly the Universe when we get back to the shore, but now all I want to do is kiss you again.”

Arthur sighed, but his smile was a bright as Merlin had ever seen it, and he couldn’t help grinning back as Arthur took his hand and said,

“Come on then. No time to waste.”

When they reached the shore again, Jack was grinning wickedly at them.

“Shut up.” Merlin ordered, though this served only to make the grin wider. “Um, everyone this is Arthur, Arthur this is everyone.”

Once the introductions were over, even the Doctor seemed at a loss to understand what to do. It wasn’t until Little Arthur (as Merlin had named him) asked tentatively,

“So… so you two are me but grown up?”

“I think it’s something like that, though not quite,” Arthur ventured, looking from the child to the other armoured man, so similar to Arthur and yet not quite the same – his face less angular, eyes a lighter blue, “I think we must be different versions of each other. We’re similar, but not exactly the same, obviously.”

“I wish we were.” Little Arthur sighed, “Then I’d be brave and strong and all the things that I need to be to be a good King. But I’ll never be able to pull the sword from the stone if I’m not, no matter what Merlin says.” He looked so forlorn then that Merlin would have said something to comfort him if Arthur hadn’t beat him to it, kneeling before the boy he put a strong hand on his shoulder and said seriously,

“I think maybe you ought to listen to Merlin. In my experience, Merlins are very wise – much more than they let on.”

Arthur’s eyes flicked to Merlin for a second, who smiled and shrugged, though he knew he couldn’t quite hide the pride that filled him at hearing Arthurs praise after so many years,

“Now you might be little now,” Arthur continued, “but you want to be a good King, don’t you? That’s all you really need. You will be whatever they need you to be. If you want to know the truth, I never thought I could pull out the sword in a thousand years, but I also knew that I had to if we had any chance of taking back Camelot. I did it for my people, and when the time comes – I’m sure you will too.”

The boy beamed at Arthur, and Merlin’s elderly counterpart nodded his thanks as golden tendrils began to weave their way around the pair. When they had once again melted into the air Arthur turned to Merlin,

“What was…”

“I love you.” Merlin blurted out, unable to stop himself, he felt himself colour immediately and cursed himself for not holding himself back – Arthur’s return was causing some serious damage to his self-control. Arthur himself only looked confused for a second before he smiled again.

“Good. I would hate to have had to crawl out of a godforsaken Lake for someone who didn’t love me back. But I’m still not any better informed about what just happened to those two.”

“They’ve been taken back to their own world. What Arthur needed was to believe in himself – what he needed was to know he could do it. Who better to tell him than himself?” The Doctor explained, and Arthur breathed a sigh of relief.

“That’s all well and good,” Donna pointed out testily, “but we’ve still got these two on our hands and I would much rather have kept beardy and the kid.”

The protests from the other Arthur and Merlin began immediately, and it was only when The Doctor, Donna, Jack, Arthur and Merlin shouted,

“Oh shut up!” that they finally quietened.

“All right you two, if you want to get back to your own world then you’re going to have to just shut your mouths for a few minutes and let us think.” The Doctor said, running a hand through his hair as he scrutinized the pair.

“Well we can give it a shot but I’m not convinced Merlin knows how to _be_ quiet.” The other Arthur huffed, and Merlin glared at him as she hissed,

“Maybe it’s just because you’ve never refrained from doing ridiculously stupid things for long enough to let me catch my breath?”

Merlin couldn’t help bursting out laughing as he looked between the angry pair.

“Sorry, sorry. It’s just… you remind me of, well… me and Arthur.”

Five pairs of eyes looks at him in utter confusion as he explained,

“No, honestly. You should have seen us when we met – he tried to take my head off with a mace.”

“Only because you were the most insolent idiot I’d ever met.” Arthur interrupted, and Merlin huffed indignantly,

“Only because you were a royal prat.”

“Yes… well…” Arthur mumbled, and Merlin shoved him affectionately.

“Well luckily for you it looks like your Arthur’s grown out of it. Sadly I am stuck with the eternal stroppy teenager.” Merlin’s other incarnation huffed, but Merlin stopped her,

“Could you live without him though? I know, trust me, there are times when you really want to bash his head against things but at the end of the day he has a good heart. Even in the early days when we weren’t even friends, I didn’t save him because the Great Dragon told me it was my destiny, I saved him because even in the few short weeks I worked for him I could see that though he might be a bit of an ass at times (or quite frequently then) he was dedicated to Camelot and determined to make his people proud to live in his kingdom. I know the pressure is awful, constantly worrying about him and putting everything on the line to save him when he has no idea who much you really do for him and how much you really care, but he’s got pressure of his own; pressure to be a good King, to make the right choices and to live up to the expectations of prophecy just as much as you do. The job’s a pretty dirty one, but someone has to do it, and honestly, aren’t you glad it’s you?”

The girl looked from him to her own Arthur, who was looking intently at her, a slight frown on his face. She smiled,

“I… I suppose I am, yeah.”

The other Arthur continued to stare, eyes raking over her face as though seeing her for the first time. Eventually,

“Merlin,” he said softly, “I… I’m sorry about the Morgana thing. And generally being… what was it? A royal prat? I do know how much you do for me but…”

“I’m hard on you, I know. I suppose I should apologise too.”

“I think we could probably be friends? Maybe?” The other Arthur smirked, and his Merlin rolled her eyes.

“Well, provided you don’t have any other secret half-sisters hiding in the woodwork.”

“Bugger off.” Arthur told her, but both were laughing as the golden light started to engulf them, carrying them gently away towards their own Avalon once again.

Once they’d faded entirely, the five still standing on the Lake Edge let out a collective breath.

“Why is it that every trip we take ends up being ten thousand times more complicated than we intended?” Donna mused, and Jack smirked,

“The Doctor has a thing for trouble.”

“Oh this was not that bad!” The Doctor protested, looking affronted, “Nothing tried to kill us, nothing was trying to take over the galaxy, I think we did fairly well, considering.”

“Just wait, soon whatever we need Arthur for is going to show up and then I’m sure there’ll be a myriad things trying to rip your throats out.” Merlin said morosely. Though he’d been happy to see the others return to their own worlds (the whole thing had been almost overwhelmingly confusing), he couldn’t shake the fear of what was to come.

_When Albion’s need is greatest,_ Kilgarrah had said, but Merlin had been following the news avidly in recent weeks, since he’d first felt the pull of his magic telling him Arthur was returning, and there was nothing he saw as a threat to the realm.

Arthur placed a comforting hand on the back of his neck, stroking the downy hair with his thumb. He barely had time to register how odd the intimacy of the gesture felt before a grin split the Doctor’s face, prompting him to ask,

“Do you really have some sort of peril fetish because you look far happier than any normal person should.”

“Oh no no not at all,” The Doctor beamed, and Merlin could have sworn he heard Jack mutter,

“And I hate men in uniform.”

“I mean, I might be wrong,” The Doctor continued, “but I’m fairly certain that was it. The prophecy was that when Albion’s need was greatest, correct? Well, you just saved two Albions – without you two, boy Arthur would never have had the confidence to pull the sword from the stone, and the other two… well who knows what would have happened. Plus, in making sure that they’re now on the right path, you saved the entire Universe from cracking and collapsing.”

Merlin simply stared. The words made sense (as far as anything the Doctor said ever could make sense) yet he couldn’t quite bring himself to believe it. He’d spent so long unable to shift the weight of his destiny that to finally be free from it felt completely alien. Happiness welled in him, tentative at first, but growing until he felt his smile would split his face as he threw his arms around Arthur and felt himself lifted into the air.

“I think we can probably leave Albion with you two then?” The Doctor said, nodding to both of them in a way that said quite clearly that they would be seeing him again.

“Though if you need anything, anything at all, give me a call.” Jack offered, winking at the pair of them. Arthur blushed and stammered while Merlin chuckled softly.

“Bye, Jack. Do try not to get yourself killed, won’t you?”

“I’ll do my best, kid.”

“Look after yourselves, both of you.” Donna said, and Merlin couldn’t help throwing his arms around her as well.

“And you. Make sure the Doctor does too.”

“Oh he’ll never get rid of me.” Donna winked, “Stuck with me now, aren’t you Spaceman?”

“For my sins.” The Doctor grinned, and waved at the trio until they disappeared into the distance.

Stood on the crest of the hill with Arthur by his side, his destiny fulfilled and his magic curling up to sleep contentedly, Merlin smiled as he took Arthur’s hand in his own.

“Come on you, I’m going to teach you about the microwave.”

 

 


End file.
